Thermometer carrier



June 23, 1964 w. c. BRASS 3,138,263

THERMOMETER CARRIER Filed Jan. 11, 1963 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 HNVENTUR WILLIAM E. BRASS June 23, 1964 w. c. BRASS 3,138,263

THERMOMETER CARRIER Filed Jan. 11, 1963 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 IFIEn-S v we 2| r IENVENTUR WILLIAM E. BRASS ATTORNEY June 23, 1964 w. c. BRASS THERMOMETER CARRIER 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Jan. 11, 1963 loe IFIEr: 9

lllllllllllll' H nz F HNVENTDR WILLIAM E. ERAS S WC? mm ATTEIRNEV United States Patent 3,138,263 THERMOMETER CIER William C. Brass, 534 N. Audubon St., Indianapolis, Ind. Filed Jan. 11, 1963, Ser. No. 250,943 Claims. (Cl. 211-60) This invention relates to a device for carrying a plurality of clinical thermometers, and finds a practical use in hospitals where nurses go from room to room or from patient to patient in a ward taking temperatures. Reference is made to my copending application for Clinical Thermometer Cleaning Device, filed December 6, 1962, Serial No. 242,658 of which this present application is a continuation in part.

The primary object of the invention is to provide a carrier wherein means are provided for carrying a plurality of clean, sterilized thermometers and with a storage space for used, contaminated therometers so that the person taking temperatures will have a visual indication of the state of the thermometers in order to insure that only sterile thermometers will be used in taking the temperatures.

A further primary object of the invention is to provide means for carrying a sufiicient number of thermometers in one or more replaceable holders from which the sterile thermometers may be taken, and additional holders for receiving the contaminated thermometers, both groups, sterile and contaminated thermometers, being indicated by some visual device.

A further primary object of the invention is to provide a carrier of the utmost convenience, and in which there may be combined a tray or the like for holding instructions, sterile gauze or cotton, and the like, and also for recorded temperature data.

These and many other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent to those versed in the art in the following description of one particular form of the invention, in which-- FIG. 1 is a view in side elevation and partial section of a device embodying the invention;

FIG. 2 is a view in end elevation and partial section;

FIG. 3 is a detail of a floor latching mechanism;

FIG. 4 is a detail similar to that of FIG. 3 with a section of a tray removed and a latch member in an operated position;

FIG. 5 is a view in bottom plan of the carrier frame;

FIG. 6 is a'view in top perspective of the carrier, detachable floor;

FIG. 7 is a view in top perspective of a tray fitting within the carrier;

FIG. 8 is a view in front elevation of a thermometer holder; and 1 I FIG. 9 is a view in top plan of the holder with a handle in a rocked to one side position.

A carrier frame generally designated by the numeral 10 has a front wall 11 generally rectilinear in shape. There is a rear wall 12 likewise rectilinear in shape, but somewhat higher than the height of the front wall 11.

There are end walls 13 and 14 respectively spacing apart these front and back walls 11 and 12. g

Each of these end walls 13 and 14 are-essentially rectangularly U-shaped members, as best shown in respect to the end wall 13, FIG. 2. That is, each of these walls 13 and 14 consists of an upright panel 13a running up- Patented June 23, 1964 spaced rearwardly from the wall 11. The vertical height of the wall 16 equals that of the wall 11. An intermediate wall 17 is disposed between the front wall 11 and the wall 16 to be equally spaced therebetween, and to extend downwardly to a plane including the lower ends of the walls 11 and 16. v

A wall 18 interconnects the forward vertical edges of the panels 13a of the end walls 13 and 14, and extends downwardly to the bottom of the interconnecting panel 13b. The height of this wall 18 is equal to the height of the rear wall 12, these two walls being of greater height as above indicated than is the height of the walls 11, 17, and 16. Intermediate the walls 12 and 18 is a wall 19 interconnected with the panels 13a and extending downwardly to the bottom of the panel 13a in each instance. Thus there are formed between the walls 11 and 16 vertical passageways and also there are formed between the walls 12 and 18 a pair of vertical passageways. These passageways designated by the numerals 20, 21 are in the front portion of the carrier and 22, 23 in the rear portion. These passageways, 20, 21 and 22, 23 are rectilinear in cross-section, and are entirely open from top to bottom. A bottom floor generally designated by the numeral 24, FIG. 6, consists primarily of a planar member 25. Centrally disposed at each end of this member 25 are respectively upturned tongues 26 and 27 each having a top end portion outturned, designated respectively by the numeral 28 and 29. These outturned ends 28 and 29 are disposed at that elevation to have them lap over the top edges of the cross panels 13b, FIGS. 24. These tongues 26 and 27 are elastic so that when the floor 24 is brought up against the underside of the carrier frame 10, these tongues 26 and 27 will ride upwardly along the insides of the end wall portions 13b and have the overhanging portions 28 and 29 snap over those edges as a means of retaining the floor 24 in closed position across the underside of the frame 10. Preferably the tongues 26 and 27 are set inwardly one toward the other from the respective ends of the floor member 25, this distance from said end being substantially equal to the thickness of the end wall member 13b. The member 25 carries a pair ofspacer blocks 30, 31 adjacent one end descriptionof the holder.

of the member 25, this end being designated by the numeral 32. A like pair of spacer blocks 33 and 34are located adjacent the end 32a of the member 25, both sets of these blocks 30, 31 and 33, 34 being locatedvto one side of the respective tongues 26 and 27 to have these blocks enter into the passageways 22 and 23.

There is a tray generally designated by the numeral 35, FIG." 7, which has a floor 36 and two upturned side walls 37 and 38. The spacing apart of these side walls 37 and 38 is slightly less than the spacing apart of the walls 16 and 18. The tray has end walls 39 and 40 extending across the ends of the side walls 37 and 33 respectively, and preferably each of these end walls 39 and 40 carry an overturned lip 41 and 42 respectively as means for gripping the tray to raise and lower it. The length of the tray from outside to outside of the end walls 39, 40 permits the tray 35 to be placedbetween theend walls 16 and 18 freely to be carried on the floor member 25.

The carrier so far described is designed to carry hold-= ers of the construction illustrated in FIGS. 8 and 9. This holder is identical to the holder as described in my copending application above designated, and the same numerals as employed in that copending application relating to the holder are employed herein in the following This holder 90 has a pair of side legs 91 and 92. The legs are normally vertically disposed and terminate in lower ends and 96. A bar 93 interconnects the top ends of these legs 91and 92 and spaces them apart. legs 91 and 92 at a distance below the bar 93, and at a A second bar 94 interconnects the lesser distance above the leg ends 95 and Aligned holes 19 5- are provided in the two bars 93 and 94, through which holes thermometers 105 are freely inserted into vertical positions as determined by these bars 93 and 94. A vertically shiftable bar 97 is provided across the lower end portion of the holder 99 and carried between the lower ends 95 and 96 of the side legs 91 and 92 by being suspended slidingly on the posts 98 and 99 in turn suspended from the bar 94-. Heads 102 and 103 are provided on the bottom ends of the posts 98 and 99 to limit the down travel of the shiftable bar 9'7. The upper ends of the posts 98 and 99 may be fixed in the bar 94-, or shiftably carried in permissible vertical travel by means of heads 1% and 101 respectively limiting down travel of the posts. These heads 100 and 101 bear against the top sides of the bar 94. The thermometers 65 rest by their lower, mercury reservoir ends, on this cross bar 97 which normally has a resilient cushioning member 196 on the top side to assist in preventing breakage of the thermometers.

As indicated in the present showing of the holder 90, twelve thermometers may be carried with an additional spacing provided for carrying an indicator stick 112. When the holder is carrying sterile thermometers, the stick would be of a green color and when the holder 90 is carrying contaminated thermometers, the stick selected as the indicator would be of a different color such as red. On the upper ends of the legs 91 and 92 hingedly connected respectively downturned legs 110 and 111 which carry across and integrally connected thereto a handle bar 199 from which vertically extends a handle of some sort, herein indicated as the handle 108.

The fore and aft width of the holder legs 91 and 92 are made to be such that they may be freely inserted into any one of the passageways 2'0, 21, 22, and 23. In the passageways 2t) and 21, the lower leg ends 95 and 96 will rest on the floor member 25. However in the passageways 22, and 23, the lower ends 95 and 6 of the holder legs will rest on the blocks 30, 31 at common ends of the passageways 22 and 23 and on the blocks 33, 34 at the other ends. In this manner, holders t} placed in the rearmost passageways 22 and 23 will have their holders 90 presented at a higher elevation than are the holders carried in the front passageways 29, 21.

This difference in elevation is provided to give a direct, visual indication of the positioning of sterile thermometers in the holders in the'front passageways 29, 21 and the positioning of contaminated thermometers carrying holders in the back passageways 22 and 23. This prevents the carrier from being normally reversed in position as to front and back since always the lowermost carriers will indicate the positions of sterile thermometers.

As indicated in FIG. 2, when the carrier is in use, holders 90 one in each of the front passageways 2i) and 21, will be carrying sterile thermometers. Each of these holders will carry the indicating pin 112. When a sterile thermometer is to be withdrawn, the handle 108 on the front holder 90 will be rocked forwardly to permit a thermometer 105 to be withdrawn from its holder and put into use. When that thermometer has been removed from the patient, it is then placed in a holder 9%, preferably the rearmost holder, which is in the rear upper bank of holders. Thus the distinction between the contamihated and the sterile thermometers is always visible, and is made in such manner as to be practically automatic with the operator. If the operator is required to keep records separately from some other pad or device, he or she may do so on forms or papers to be carried in the tray 3-5. Of course if the thermometer 1'65 is to be used as a rectal thermometer, it normally would be wiped off before being returned to the rear holder 90!), it being remembered however that never are oral and rectal thermometers carried in the same holder or in proximity with adjacent holders.

After the thermometers have been used in numbers as required, and the carriers brought back to some central station, the rearmost holders 99 are removed and placed in the cleaner as described in my copending application. Normally the carrier will start out with two empty holders in the rear passageway 23 with the two filled holders in the front passageways 2d and 21 if that many thermometers are required, the holders presently being designed to carry twelve thermometers. Then when one of the front holders 9i) is emptied, it may be inserted in the front passageway 22 of the rear pair of passageways to receive the contaminated thermometers after the rear holder a has been filled.

Therefore, while I have shown my invention in the best form now known to me, it is obvious that structural changes may be made, I do not desire to be limited to that precise form beyond the limitations which may be imposed by the following claims.

I claim:

1. A clinical thermometer carrier comprising a frame having a vertically disposed passage therethrough open at both top and bottom ends;

a floor detachably engaged to said frame and extending across the bottom of said passageway;

a thermometer holder freely positioned in said passageway;

said holder having means removably maintaining thermometers in vertically aligned positions and with upper ends of the thermometers presented adjacent the upper end of the passageway;

said frame having a second vertically disposed passageway open from top to bottom of dimensions to receive therein one of said holders; and means retaining said holder in said second passageway at a higher elevation than that of the holder in the first passageway.

2. A clinical thermometer carrier comprising a frame having a front pair of vertically disposed passageways and a rear pair of vertically disposed passageways;

all of said passageways being open at both top and bottom ends;

a floor extending across the under side of said frame and closing all of said passageways;

means dctachably securing the fioor to the frame;

spacers on said fioor entering each of the pair of said rear passageways; and

thermometer holders maintaining thermometers in vertically aligned, spaced apart position;

' said holders freely entering said passageways to have upper ends of the thermometers presented near the top ends of the respective passageways;

holders in the rear passageways being held at higher elevations than those in the front passageways by resting on said spacers.

3." The structure of claim 2, in which said frame has a transverse and fore and aft opening thereacross between said front and rear passageways; and

said floor extends across said opening.

4. The structure of claim 3, in which there is in said frame a front vertical wall;

a second vertical wall spaced rearwardly of the front t wall,'between which two walls there is one of the pair of said front passageways;

. a third vertical wall spaced back of said second wall between which there is the other of the pair of front passageways;

a fourth vertical wall spaced across said opening from said third wall;

a fifth vertical wall spaced rearwardly of the fourth .'all and defining one of the passageways of the rear pair;

a sixth vertical wall spaced back of the fifth wall and 5 defining therebetween the other passageway of the rear pair; and

frame end walls closing off said passageways at the vertical ends of said walls;

all of said passageways being rectilinear in horizontal section.

5. In a clinical thermometer holding device, a

pair of end frames;

divider walls extending vertically between and forming a part of said frame panels defining passageways therebetween open at both top and bottom ends thereof;

said divider walls being confined to fore and aft portions of the frames providing two sets of passageways with a space therebetween;

6 a floor removably carried across the undersides of said frames and divider walls, and across said space; means on said floor extending upwardly therefrom and engaging said frames; a removable tray carried in said space by said floor; and ends of said tray being in juxtaposition with said floor engaging means and maintaining the engagement thereof with said frames until the tray is removed.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 943,676 Hermann Dec. 21, 1909 

1. A CLINICAL THERMOMETER CARRIER COMPRISING A FRAME HAVING A VERTICALLY DISPOSED PASSAGE THERETHROUGH OPEN AT BOTH TOP AND BOTTOM ENDS; A FLOOR DETACHABLY ENGAGED TO SAID FRAME AND EXTENDING ACROSS THE BOTTOM OF SAID PASSAGEWAY; A THERMOMETER HOLDER FREELY POSITIONED IN SAID PASSAGEWAY; SAID HOLDER HAVING MEANS REMOVABLY MAINTAINING THEREMOMETERS IN VERTICALLY ALIGNED POSITIONS AND WITH UPPER ENDS OF THE THERMOMETERS PRESENTED ADJACENT THE UPPER END OF THE PASSAGEWAY; SAID FRAME HAVING A SECOND VERTICALLY DISPOSED PASSAGEWAY OPEN FROM TOP TO BOTTOM OF DIMENSIONS TO RECEIVE THEREIN ONE OF SAID HOLDERS; AND MEANS RETAINING SAID HOLDER IN SAID SECOND PASSAGEWAY AT A HIGHER ELEVATION THAN THAT OF THE HOLDER IN THE FIRST PASSAGEWAY. 